12 Years of Vanlife: The Truth Nobody Warns You About

Key “truths” about van life (and how to handle them)

Repairs and maintenance are constant

• Many expensive breakdowns come from ignoring small issues (weird noises, vibrations) and skipping scheduled maintenance.
• Vans may be harder/less affordable to repair because:
  • Some shops don’t work on vans, especially high tops/heavy builds.
  • Vehicles with solar/roof accessories may not fit on standard lifts or may not pass through shop doors.
• Solution: plan financially and proactively
  • Keep an emergency fund.
  • Also keep an “emergency emergency fund.”
  • Example maintenance reminders:
    • Oil changes: set a reminder for 1 week before
    • Tire rotations: every 6 months
    • Transmission flush: about every 2 years (or per your van’s needs)
  • Prevent problems by:
    • Checking fluids
    • Inspecting tires
    • Listening to unusual sounds
    • Fixing small issues early
  • Treat maintenance like part of the lifestyle, not just a panic event (reward yourself on “mechanic trip” days).

Parking is an everyday challenge (it never really ends)

• Even experienced van lifers still deal with daily uncertainty: “Where am I sleeping tonight?”
• Locations you rely on can change fast:
  • Gates/closures
  • “No overnight camping” signs
  • Walmart security/patrolling
  • Popular free spots getting overwhelmed after influencers post them
• Solution: build a multi-layer backup plan
  • Don’t rely on one location—have options, plus a backup for the backup.
  • Use crowdsourced resources for free camping:
    • ioverlander.com
    • freecampsites.net
    • mynomaddirectory.com
  • Contribute by leaving your own reviews/updates (police/rangers presence, road difficulty, wrong coordinates, safety concerns, cell signal, etc.).
• Mindset shift
  • Ask: “Where’s the best place to park tonight?” (not “best place ever”)
  • Prioritize: safety + sleep + wake up ready. Everything else is a bonus.
• Pro tip
  • If staying longer than allowed, set up a rotation (move between spots).

Bathrooms dominate your daily life

Van life often becomes a loop of two questions:

• Where am I sleeping?
• Where am I going to the bathroom?

Solid waste solution: the bucket toilet

• Use a bucket lined with bags (she recommends compostable cornstarch bags from Amazon because they don’t leak for her).
• Add toilet paper / napkins.
• Minimal maintenance: clean it out periodically.

Pee solution: have a pee container

• Practical especially for bad weather or stealth at night.
• She uses a kitty litter jug (over a gallon) and disposes responsibly by:
  • pouring at a public bathroom, or
  • digging a small hole away from camp and dumping it (nitrogen-rich for plants).

Bathroom etiquette

• Don’t pee in the middle of a campsite.
• Dispose/pack up solid waste properly and avoid being “gross” (she warns this causes many van-life problems).

Showers: make use of gym facilities

• She recommends Planet Fitness (not sponsored, but highlights the value):
  • Under $30/month
  • showers + bathrooms + fresh water
  • electricity access to charge power stations
  • amenities like tanning, massage beds/chairs, and heat/AC

People aren’t as hands-off as you’d expect

• Van life isn’t automatically lonely—sometimes it attracts attention:
  • strangers peeking through windows
  • people knocking late at night
  • requests for tours
  • followers staring from nearby spots

Solutions: set boundaries

• Use window covers (she shows DIY covers using poly iso foam, fabric, duct tape).
• Decide what you will/won’t do; you don’t owe tours or conversations.

Weather controls your plans—and leaks are inevitable

Rain / water leaks

• Water always finds weak points (roof vents/fans/AC, gutters, seals, especially rear door seals).
• Don’t ignore a leak—fix quickly (she advises keeping a tube of silicone and possibly a tarp/plastic sheet to cover the van while troubleshooting).

Heat

• Desert summer can be brutal quickly; managing temperature becomes constant.
• Plan around shade/airflow and keep dogs from overheating.

Cold

• Heating options exist (e.g., propane like Mr. Buddy, wood stoves, heated blankets/gear, hand warmers, and mini-splits that can run on solar)—but each has drawbacks.

Wind

• Wind can be underestimated; it fills the van with sand/dust.
• She advises parking perpendicular to wind direction and “working with it,” not fighting it.

General mindset

• Pay attention to forecasts and chase good weather when possible.
• Move with the seasons; be adaptable.

Health: prevention matters (and medical access takes planning)

• Treat your body like the van: maintenance is cheaper than repairs.
• Health routine ideas mentioned:
  • Eat well, stay active
  • Therapy/self-care
  • Vitamins
  • Prioritize sleep quality
  • Acupuncture/massage (she recommends getting massages)
  • Consider functional medicine or bloodwork (especially for hormone issues)
• If you get sick, everything becomes harder far from home:
  • pharmacies, urgent care, specialists

Medical/dental tourism as a cost strategy

• She recommends saving money by crossing borders or taking a side trip for affordable care.
  • Example: friends get prescriptions in Los Algodones, Mexico.
• She suggests keeping:
  • hard copies and digital copies of medical records (and for dogs too)
  • emergency money/credit available.

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Lifestyle takeaway / why she stayed

Van life can be stressful at times (repairs, parking, bathrooms, weather, people), but she stays because it provides:

• more freedom/control (leave whenever she wants)
• adventure and rewards even during errands/maintenance
• no landlord or mortgage pressure (invest in health, dogs, experiences)
• personal growth and self-reliance

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Notable locations, products, and names

Locations / resources

• Walmart parking lot (example problem)
• National Forest
• BLM land
• truck stops
• casinos
• rest areas
• city streets
• Los Algodones, Mexico (meds/prescriptions)
• Apps/sites:
  • ioverlander.com
  • freecampsites.net
  • mynomaddirectory.com

Vehicle mentioned

• 2007 Ford E-350

Toilet products / types

• compostable cornstarch toilet bags (Amazon suggestion)
• “bucket toilet”
• pee jug / kitty litter jug

Gym

• Planet Fitness

Heating

• Mr. Buddy (propane heater)
• mini-splits

People / speakers

• Hosted by Bunny (“Bunny and Beyond”)
• Mentions dogs: Sparrow and Rook